Month: June 2021

By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com

Winfield — The red-hot Winfield-Mount Union softball team will take on No. 2 (2A) Louisa-Muscatine tonight in our featured matchup on KILJ-FM tonight.

Winfield has won four of their last five matchups, with their lone loss coming in 4-3 fashion to Central Lee just five days ago.

Jobey Malone has been terrific for Walt Jackson’s group at the plate this season hitting .545 with seven runs batted in, four doubles and two home runs.

In the circle, Madie Anderson has been as advertised and then some.

The Indian Hills commit has thrown 69.2 innings while racking up 127 strikeouts.

Her ERA is a microscopic 0.40.

On the other side is UNI recruit Kylee Sanders who is 5-3 in the circle with a 0.95 ERA.

Opponents are hitting .133 against her.

Sanders is also hitting .607 with two doubles, a triple and four runs batted in.

Louisa-Muscatine, now 7-6, has won 12 straight games against Winfield-Mount Union, including a 7-0 victory earlier this year.

Tonight’s game will begin at 7:00 p.m.

You can listen on KILJ-FM 105.5.

Other area softball tonight:

• Holy Trinity at Cardinal
• Danville at Central Lee
• Lone Tree at Columbus
• New London at Pekin
• Mediapolis at Wapello
• Mount Pleasant at Fort Madison (Doubleheader)

By: Nathan Bloechl

KILJ — The New London baseball team will look to stay unbeaten tonight when they take on Pekin in a Super Conference crossover.

New London has been scorching to begin the season, scoring double digit runs in seven of their first eight games.

Carter Allen has been right in the the thick of it, hitting .519 with a homer, a triple and two doubles.

He’s driven in 13 already this year.

Hecniel Rodriguez has been equally as impressive.

The senior has 19 runs batted in, four triples, three homers and six stolen bases.

He’s also been superb on the bump, as has New London’s entire staff.

The Tigers pitching staff has a miniscule 1.17 team ERA.

Josh Catala leads the way with 12.2 innings, he’s struck out 15, allowed just two hits and has not had a run scored against him.

Pekin enters tonight’s scrap at 5-5.

They’re led at at the dish by Chase Stansberry, a junior, who hits .417 with a home run and 16 RBI.

New London has won the last three matchups against Pekin.

Tonight’s game will begin at 7:00 p.m. at Pekin High School.

Other area matchups tonight:

• Louisa-Muscatine at Winfield-Mount Union
• Danville vs. Central Lee
• Mediapolis at Wapello
• Notre Dame at West Burlington
• Mount Pleasant at Fort Madison (Doubleheader)

By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com 

Mount Pleasant — The Mount Pleasant track and field team has announced their 2021 awards.

Starting with the boys’:

• Most Improved: Bryce Wilson
• MVP: Cooper Pullis
• Panther Award: Jack Johnson
• Newcomer of the Year: Ben Carthey

And the girls’:

• Most Improved: Grace Kelley
• Leading Scorer: Karsyn Lamm
• Top Performer: Jadan Brumbaugh
• Newcomer of the Year: Josie Gilmore
• Panther Award: Cristina Carthey

The Panther track programs also had five Academic All-State performers:

• Jack Johnson
• Cooper Pullis
• Cristina Carthey
• Grace Kelley
• Karsyn Lamm

By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com 

Prep Baseball: New London Dominates, Other Prep Finals:

New London 14, Hillcrest Academy 4 

New London pounded out 15 hits in a 14-4 win over Hillcrest Academy last night.

Hecniel Rodriguez and Josh Catla both hit two home runs a piece, while driving in four runs.

The win moved New London to 8-0.

Danville 12, Winfield-Mount Union 0 

Danville scored six runs in the 6th inning, as they rolled by Winfield-Mount Union 12-0 last night.

Sawyer Nelson was dominant on the mound rolling to a one-hit shutout.

Grifen Molle paced Danville’s offense with two triples.

Nelson had three hits and drove in one.

Mediapolis 6, West Burlington 2 

Lance Ludens fired 3.2 innings of one run ball as Mediapolis came away with a 6-2 win over West Burlington last night.

Jaxon Brooks was the pacemaker for Mediapolis’ offense, doubling and singling.

Cole Lipper drove in two, as well for the Bulldogs, who pulled to 7-5.

Highland 10, Notre Dame 3 

It’s been a tough week for the Nikes, who saw Highland punch in for 10 runs in a 10-3 loss last night.

Logan Brent had a double and a pair of singles, while Carson Chiprez had two hits despite the loss.

Notre Dame slipped to 5-4.

Prep Softball: New London Puts Up Fight, Other Area Finals: 

New London hled a 5-4 lead but could not keep it, as Clear Creek-Amana rallied for a 10-6 win over the Tigers last night in the Fairfield Invitational.

New London scored twice in the 1st, once in the 2nd and two times in the 3rd, in the loss.

They rallied for a single tally in the 6th but could not overcome the Clipper offense.

The loss moved the Tigers to 3-10.

Other softball finals last night:

Holy Trinity 9, Columbus 8 

Van Buren 12, Lone Tree 4

Fairfield 8, Pekin 2

ADM-Adel 4, Louisa-Muscatine 2

College Sports: Hawkeyes Permit Beer and Wine Sales at Athletic Facilities:

(Via Radio Iowa)

The University of Iowa Athletics Department announced the creation of a pilot program to expand beer and wine sales at athletic facilities.

Beginning this fall, beer and wine will be available for purchase throughout Kinnick Stadium, with the exception of areas immediately adjacent to the respective student section.

Athletic events at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Duane Banks Field and Bob Pearl Field will also be included in the pilot program during the 2021-22 school year.

Thirty percent of net alcohol sales will be directed towards research-based initiatives developed and supported by the UI Alcohol Harm Reduction Committee, formed in 2009 to decrease high-risk drinking and the related harmful consequences.

Iowa joins seven other Big Ten schools who currently sell beer and/or wine in public areas at its home football games. Approximately half of the schools from the Power 5 conferences will sell beer and/or wine at their home football games this fall.